05/05/2026
Have you ever said to your child, “you don’t like vegetables, do you?” or to others when talking about your kids, “he is a fussy eater and doesn’t eat anything I put in front of him.”
We can say these things when frustrated or exasperated. I have done it too!
The thing is our kids notice. They are listening to everything we say, especially when it pertains to them.
Saying these things reinforced our belief that our kids are picky eaters. They also shift how we treat our kids and what food we offer them.
If we believe they won’t eat something new, we may not put it on their plate. By doing so, we inadvertently ensure they don’t try the new food and reinforce the pickiness.
But more importantly, our words and actions reinforce our child’s self beliefs.
If we say they are a picky eater, then they internalize this and they become a picky eater. It becomes part of their identity.
That isn’t helpful for anyone and makes feeding them even harder.
What can we do if we are already doing this?
Stop.
Just don’t say anything about being picky or not liking certain food in front of your child.
Loosen your belief that your child is a picky eater. Think about times when they weren’t. Remind yourself of these times when you notice your mind becoming focused on “he is so picky!”
Follow for more tips on picky eating and feeding kids nutrient dense food. �
